When Agency Shifts, What Happens to the Institutions?

Does an industry need to become a profession? There is a quiet shift underway. Not loud. Not yet fully visible.But unmistakable once you see it. It’s a shift in agency. For decades, financial planning has been built on a simple premise: The expert knows.The client delegates. That model made sense in a world where: Information … Continue reading When Agency Shifts, What Happens to the Institutions? →

Human Capital Isn’t Built by Money Alone

Lessons for Total Wealth Planners from the Economics of Human Capital “The greatest inequality in wealth is not financial.It is the unequal development of human potential.” The Hidden Truth About Wealth For decades, financial planning has focused on optimising capital already accumulated. But the research tells a different story. Human capital—our skills, motivation, health, and … Continue reading Human Capital Isn’t Built by Money Alone →

Why Human Capital Must Sit at the Heart of Future Financial Plans

For decades, financial planning has focused almost entirely on financial capital. Savings.Investments.Portfolios.Tax wrappers. But there is a deeper asset sitting quietly behind every financial plan. An asset that often dwarfs the portfolio in value. That asset is human capital. And in the age of AI, demographic change, and longer working lives, financial planners who fail … Continue reading Why Human Capital Must Sit at the Heart of Future Financial Plans →

The Shift No One in Financial Planning Is Talking About

Agency Now Sits With People — Not Experts For most of the past century, financial planning has operated on a simple assumption: Experts decide. Clients follow. The adviser analysed the numbers, produced the recommendation, and the client implemented it. But quietly — and very rapidly — that assumption is breaking down. Not because expertise has … Continue reading The Shift No One in Financial Planning Is Talking About →

Is Money a Proxy for Human Agency?

The short answer is: yes — but only partially.Money is often used as a proxy for agency, but it is a very imperfect one. Understanding that distinction is actually central to what we've been building with the GAME Plan. Let’s unpack it. 1. Why Money Looks Like Agency Money expands the range of choices a … Continue reading Is Money a Proxy for Human Agency? →

The Asset Most People Forget: Why Human Capital Matters More Than Your Pension

When most people think about financial planning, they think about money. Savings.Investments.Pensions. But there is a far more powerful asset sitting quietly in the background of every financial life. You. Your skills, your health, your experience, your relationships, your creativity, and your ability to adapt. Economists call this human capital — and decades of research … Continue reading The Asset Most People Forget: Why Human Capital Matters More Than Your Pension →

1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place.

1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place. That’s a milestone worth acknowledging. The financial advice profession has long struggled with gender imbalance, and bringing more diverse voices into the industry is unquestionably a positive step. But the announcement also arrives at a fascinating moment for wealth management. Across the sector, another conversation is unfolding. AI. … Continue reading 1,000 female advisers at St. James’s Place. →

If I Were a St. James’s Place Adviser, What Would I Be Thinking Right Now?

There has been a noticeable shift in the conversation around wealth management recently. We’ve seen a sell-off in wealth management stocks. Commentators are debating whether artificial intelligence will transform the industry. Veteran investors argue that AI will simply make advisers more efficient rather than replacing them. Maybe they are right. But if I were an … Continue reading If I Were a St. James’s Place Adviser, What Would I Be Thinking Right Now? →

A New Profession Is Emerging in Financial Planning

Introducing the Total Wealth Planner For decades, financial planning has been organised around a simple idea: Help clients manage their financial capital. Investments.Pensions.Insurance.Portfolios. That model made perfect sense in a world where financial markets were opaque, products were complex, and consumers had little direct access to financial tools. But that world is changing rapidly. Three … Continue reading A New Profession Is Emerging in Financial Planning →

With Over £25 Trillion at Stake, Financial Planners Must Learn to Plan for Human Capital

For decades, financial planning has focused on one thing above all else: financial capital. Portfolios.Pensions.Investments. Yet the largest asset most people will ever possess is not their investment portfolio. It is their human capital. Human capital — the ability to generate income through skills, knowledge, health, and experience — has become the primary driver of … Continue reading With Over £25 Trillion at Stake, Financial Planners Must Learn to Plan for Human Capital →